Abstract: A pod includes a cover with a cover body, a baseplate with a baseplate body, and one or more seal surfaces. The one or more seal surfaces are formed on one or more of the baseplate body and the cover body to provide sealing. A method of producing a reticle pod includes forming one or more seal surfaces on at least one of a baseplate body of a baseplate and a cover body of a cover. The one or more seal surfaces are formed to provide sealing between the baseplate and the cover. Each of the one or more seal surfaces includes a wear-resistant outermost coating with a Rockwell C hardness of about or greater than 70.

Abstract: Sensor zones are created on an inner pod of a reticle container using a dry coating method. The sensor zones are discrete zones having a specific spectral reflectivity. The sensor zones are positioned such that they can be read by a tool to determine distance of portions of the pod. The use of discrete zones and a dry coating method for applying those discrete zones overcomes issues with inconsistency and difficulty in cleaning or maintaining reflectance of an inner pod of the reticle container in comparison with inner pods plated entirely with material or other wet coating applied materials.

Abstract: A door of a reticle pod includes a window having a lens, sidewall, and a ledge. The window may be positioned or affixed internally in a door between the housing and a cover. A compressive seal may be used in conjunction with the window. The sidewalls, the ledge and the compressive seal work together to enable a compression fit in the door while maintained the desired level of protection from external contaminants.

Abstract: A reticle pod includes an outer pod, an inner pod cover and an inner base plate. A reticle is supported on the base and is contained within the environment created by the inner pod cover and the inner pod base. The inner pod cover can include a plurality of reticle retainers configured to contact a side wall of the reticle and limit movement of the reticle in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A substrate container that utilizes a rocker linkage or a linear cam arrangement in latch mechanism that is actuated by a rotary cam. The rocker linkage or linear cam is mounted to an interior panel of a door of the substrate container and may be disposed proximate an edge portion of the interior panel. The rocker linkage or linear cam may be configured to exert an axial force component on a housing of the substrate container to seat the door against a seal member. The rocker linkage or linear cam also transfers the axial latching forces to the door to reduce transfer of forces to the cam. The rocker linkage or linear cam may be arranged to transfer axial forces in a radially outward direction when the latch mechanism is engaged, to prevent push back on the rotary cam.

Abstract: A reticle pod includes an outer pod, an inner pod cover and an inner base plate. A reticle is supported on the base and is contained within the environment created by the inner pod cover and the inner pod base. The inner pod cover can include a plurality of reticle retainers configured to contact a side wall of the reticle and limit movement of the reticle in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A pod for transporting reticles includes an inner cover and an inner base plate. The inner base plate cooperates with the cover to establish a space for mounting a reticle. The inner base plate includes a hole having a perimeter and first and second flanges extending inward from the perimeter. A window assembly is mounted in the hole. The window assembly includes a transparent plate, a seal and a retainer. The seal contacts the outer or side planar surface of the transparent plate and the perimeter of the hole to seal an interface between the window assembly and the hole. The retainer contacts the second flange to retain the seal and transparent plate within the hole.

Abstract: A container for supporting a workpiece, the workpiece including a chamfer around upper and lower edges of the workpiece is disclosed. The container includes a door and a shell capable of coupling with the door to define an isolated environment within the container. The container includes a workpiece support mounted to the door. The workpiece support includes a support post. The support post is configured to support a workpiece at a corner of the workpiece. The support post includes a first sloping wall. A second sloping wall is at a bottom of the first sloping wall. The second sloping side wall is configured to support a workpiece. The first sloping wall and the second sloping wall are oriented with different non-zero slopes.

Abstract: A reticle container for containing a reticle including a base plate having one or more windows. Each of the windows can include mounting recess having a recess sidewall including an undercut defined therein. A transparent substrate can be disposed in the mounting recess and is retained therein by a retention member having an arcuate portion extending between a first end portion and a second end portion. At least the first end portion of the retention member can be positioned in the undercut defined in the recess sidewall such that the arcuate portion of the retention member contacts the transparent substrate to retain the transparent substrate in the mounting recess.

Abstract: An improved wafer support mechanism in a wafer container useful for carrying a plurality of axially aligned thin mostly circular wafer substrates. The container includes a cassette that has a plurality of adjacently disposed teeth for receiving the substrates, wherein each rib member is continuous from the cassette open top to the cassette open bottom, a removable top cover portion, a removable bottom cover portion, a cushion assembly removably attached to the container top cover, and another cushion assembly removably located in the container bottom cover and held in place by the weight of the wafer cassette. The top cushions are formed of individual segments having an extended lead-in feature at the end of each segment, spring sections in each segment and each segment has a V-shaped cross section to receive the wafer edge. The top and bottom cushions are installed in the top and bottom container covers, respectively, and extend the wafer support to approximately the entire circumference of each wafer.

Abstract: A reticle container for containing a reticle including a base plate having one or more windows. Each of the windows can include mounting recess having a recess sidewall including an undercut defined therein. A transparent substrate can be disposed in the mounting recess and is retained therein by a retention member having an arcuate portion extending between a first end portion and a second end portion. At least the first end portion of the retention member can be positioned in the undercut defined in the recess sidewall such that the arcuate portion of the retention member contacts the transparent substrate to retain the transparent substrate in the mounting recess.

Abstract: A front opening wafer container with a forward and rearward sets of stacked V-shaped wafer edge receiving portions, the rearward set part of a wafer shelf component and comprising a thin film of PBT preformed and overmolded with a polycarbonate. The sets of stacked V-shaped wafer edge receiving portions providing between-shelf seating positions above on-shelf seating positions. The PBT providing a low friction sliding engagement surface for the wafer edges thereby providing uniform and consistent dropping of wafers from the between shelf position to the on-shelf position when the door of the wafer container is removed.

Abstract: An improved wafer support mechanism in a wafer container useful for carrying a plurality of axially aligned thin mostly circular wafer substrates. The container includes a cassette that has a plurality of adjacently disposed teeth for receiving the substrates, wherein each rib member is continuous from the cassette open top to the cassette open bottom, a removable top cover portion, a removable bottom cover portion, a cushion assembly removably attached to the container top cover, and another cushion assembly removably located in the container bottom cover and held in place by the weight of the wafer cassette. The top cushions are formed of individual segments having an extended lead-in feature at the end of each segment, spring sections in each segment and each segment has a V-shaped cross section to receive the wafer edge. The top and bottom cushions are installed in the top and bottom container covers, respectively, and extend the wafer support to approximately the entire circumference of each wafer.

Abstract: A wafer container for holding a spaced stack of thin wafers, comprising an H-bar carrier, a base portion for receiving same, a base wafer cushion attached at the bottom wall positioned below the H-bar carrier, the cushion having a plurality of ribs defining slots each with a bottom wafer seating region having a curvature and a pair of ends, each of the ends having a flare whereby the seating region flares outwardly at the ends, a cover portion that connects with the base portion to form a closed interior. The cover portion having an uppermost wall a wafer cushion secured thereto. The cover wafer cushion having a row of wafer engaging finger portions, the finger portions Y shaped and having two legs extending from a support portion and alternatingly extending from opposing support portions, the finger portions may be S shaped with a wafer pad flared in two direction.

Abstract: An improved wafer support mechanism in a wafer container useful for carrying a plurality of axially aligned thin mostly circular wafer substrates. The container includes a cassette that has a plurality of adjacently disposed teeth for receiving the substrates, wherein each rib member is continuous from the cassette open top to the cassette open bottom, a removable top cover portion, a removable bottom cover portion, a cushion assembly removably attached to the container top cover and another cushion assembly removably located in the container bottom cover and held in place by the weight of the wafer cassette. The top cushions are formed of individual segments having an extended lead-in feature at the end of each segment, spring sections in each segment and each segment has a V-shaped cross section to receive the wafer edge. The top and bottom cushions are installed in the top and bottom container covers respectively, and extend the wafer support to approximately the entire circumference of each wafer.

Abstract: A wafer container for holding a spaced stack of thin wafers, comprising an H-bar carrier, a base portion for receiving same, a base wafer cushion attached at the bottom wall positioned below the H-bar carrier, the cushion having a plurality of ribs defining slots each with a bottom wafer seating region having a curvature and a pair of ends, each of the ends having a flare whereby the seating region flares outwardly at the ends, a cover portion that connects with the base portion to form a closed interior. The cover portion having an uppermost wall a wafer cushion secured thereto. The cover wafer cushion having a row of wafer engaging finger portions, the finger portions Y shaped and having two legs extending from a support portion and alternatingly extending from opposing support portions, the finger portions may be S shaped with a wafer pad flared in two direction.

Abstract: An improved wafer support mechanism in a wafer container useful for carrying a plurality of axially aligned thin mostly circular wafer substrates. The container includes a cassette that has a plurality of adjacently disposed teeth for receiving the substrates, wherein each rib member is continuous from the cassette open top to the cassette open bottom, a removable top cover portion, a removable bottom cover portion, a cushion assembly removably attached to the container top cover and another cushion assembly removably located in the container bottom cover and held in place by the weight of the wafer cassette. The top cushions are formed of individual segments having an extended lead-in feature at the end of each segment, spring sections in each segment and each segment has a V-shaped cross section to receive the wafer edge. The top and bottom cushions are installed in the top and bottom container covers respectively, and extend the wafer support to approximately the entire circumference of each wafer.